Fire-escape.



J. c. GOVERT. PIRE ESGAPE.

APPLICATION FILED 110115, 1907.

929,288. I Patented July 27, 1909.

xxmwxxm NTED Slllhl PANT JAMES O. OUVERT, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Application led November 15, 1907.

To all whom 'it may concern:

5e it known that i, JAMES C. COVERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at N atervliet, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire -llscapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

rThe invention relates to an improvement in fire escapes and more particularly to that type designed as a permanent fixture for a building. ,ln this class of iire escapes, for reasons well understood it is desirable that provision be made for normally maintaining in an elevated position the lower portion of the device, generally that portion thereof adapted to extend from the second story of a building to the ground.

The present invention in its broadest sense comprehends a collapsible ladder member permanently connected at one end to a support at a point some distance above the ground to extend from said support to the ground, said member being adapted to be arranged and supported in a collapsed or folded position adjacent said support.

More specifically stated the invention comprehends the use of such a collapsible ladder member to constitute a direct continuation of another ladder member secured to a building.

One of the chief aims of the invention is to provide a simple arrangement, whereby the collapsible member when held supported in a folded state, may be conveniently released and positively opened or distended by applying pressure directly to said member.

@ther novel features of the invention reside in the particular construction and arrangement of parts before referred to and in the special construction and location of the means to hold the collapsible ladder member in its folded state.

llt/Vith these and other objects in view, which will appear from the annexed detailed description, one embodiment of the invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawings: Figure l is an elevation of the attachment showing parts of the hXed portion of the ladder and parts of the building, Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing parts in section and the extension in a folded condi- Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27', 1909.

Serial N0. 402,805.

tion, Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the clip and its bracket attachment, and Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of the collapsible ladder member showing the position of the parts when extended.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates a portion of the face of a building or other structure and 2 designates a ladder member structure shown in the present instance as rigidly secured thereto and terminating some distance above the ground floor thereof. A collapsible ladder member 3 is permanently connected with the ladder 2 to forni a direct continuation of said ladder to the ground. rlhis member 3 is made up of a plurality of rigid sections in the nature of links of substantially U-shape form, the sections having a hinge connection with each other and the upper terminal section having a hinge connection with the lower rung of the ladder member 2, so that said sections are adapted to extend in the vertical plane of the rungs of the ladder section 2. The member 3 is adapt-ed to be so arranged and supported in a collapsed or folded state at the lower end of the ladder member 2, that a person mounteden said ladder may, through the medium of his foot, conveniently apply pressure to the member 3 to release and positively open or distend said member. Vilith this idea in view, the sections of the member 3 are adapted to be folded up one upon another in a pack at the lower end of the ladder 2, the upper surface of the pack of sections extending substantially parallel with the lower rung of the ladder 2 and to the front of the vertical plane of the rungs of said ladder, the position of the upper terminal section of the member 3 being unchanged except that it is swung inwardly toward the wall l and the lower terminal section lying at the front of the pack.

The means for supporting the member 3 in its folded state comprises a catch connected to the wall 1 and a bail pivoted to the lower terminal section of the member 3. rhe bail has side portions 4t and a forward narrowed nose portion 5 arranged at an angle to project within the pack of sections when the bail is folded down against the lower terminal section, the portions lof the bail lying against said section and serving to limit the extent of inward projection of the nose portion 5 within the pack of sections. The

catch, Whichis made up ol two flat strips of metal 6, 7, placed lace to lace and secured together at one end and shaped to lorrn spring jaws, is supported by a bracket 8 secured to Y the wall so that the aws thereol' extend within the pack ol' sections su'lliciently to receive and hold the nose portion 5 oi the bail, and when the parts have been thus engaged, the member 3 will be securely held in its folded state asV indicated in Fie. 2 ol' the drawingsA The connection o'l the catch with. its supporting` bracket is as follows: The strip 6 oli' the catch is extended above the upper end ol' the u strip 7 and near its upper end is cut away at opposite edges to provide a reduced Vportion 9 with shoulders 10 and 11 at the upper and lower ends thereof respectively. The reduced portion 9 loosely nts within the socket 120i' the bracket, the shoulders 10 resting V upon the upper edge ol' the metal `forming the socket. The upper end ol'l the strip 6 l'rom the lower' end of the reduced portion is curved and the lower l'ront wall ol the socket is slotted at 13, the lower edges of the side walls ot the socket being beveled to cooperate with the shoulders 11.

; As will be understood, when the collapsible member 3 is arranged and supported as illustrated in Fig. 2 of Lhe drawings,the same may be easily and quickly released and positively opened or distended by applying pressure thereto, the pack ol sections pivoting outwardly on the transverse portion ol` the upper terminal section. As soon as the sections have been Vl'orced outwardly sulliciently to disengage the bail l'rom the catch, the catch will drop back to its normal position close to the wall 1.

It may in some cases be desirable to provide the Aflexible section with projections to rest against the wall so as to hold the extensions out lrom the wall when it is dropped down. This is accomplished by l'orming the extensions 15 on'the eye part ol the sections as shown in Fig. 4. Any number ol' these extensions 15 may be employed but prelerably `every alternate lrame should be so provided. A convenient manner of forming the extensions is shown in my l'ormer patent No. 793,770 ol' July 4, 1905.

I desire it to be understood that various changes, within the scope oil` the appended claims, may be made in the construction and arrangement 0l parts hereinbe'l'ore set 'l'orth without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing any of the advantages ol the invention.

What I claim is:

l. lna 'lire escape, a collapsible ladder extension comprising a series oi pivotally connected sections having rigid side bars, means l'or connecting the uppermost section to a suitable support and means for holdingthe sectie vin a lolded position adjacent the support comprising a catch member secured to the support and a member cooperating with the catch secure(L to the lowermost section ol the collapsible ladder, said last mentioned means being adapted to be releasedl by applying pressure to sfid l'olded ladder extension substantially as described.

2. In a 'fire esca )e a collapsible ladder ex- J l tension comprising a serios ol pivotally connected sections, each section having rigid side bars and 'the sections adapted to be l'olded one upon the other, means lor connecting the uppermost end o'l' the ladder to the support, a spring catch loosely connected to the support and a substantially rigid member connected with the lower end ol' the lo'=,verinost section lor engaging the said catch and retaining the members in a col# lapsed or 'lolded position.

8.V ln a lire escape, the combination with a collapsible ladder extension, o'lA a spring comprising a substantially U-shaped member, means l'or loosely securing said catch member to a support and a bail member secured to the lower end oil the ladder section lfor engaging the said catch member when the sections are folded.

l. ln a nre escape, the combination 4with a wall oi a building, oi` a collapsible ladder member comprising a plurality ol' sections, each oll said sections consisting ola rigid open l'rame, said ladder member beingconnected at one end with the wall to extend down the same and'adapted to be arranged in a collapsed state near its point ol' support, and means to hold the ladder member Yin its collapsed state, said means including a member connected with the ladder member to extend within the sections when packed together, and a catch supported Yfrom the wall to engage and hold the member connected with the ladder member.

5. In a 'lire escape, the combination with a wall oi' a building, olra collapsibleladder member' comprising a plurality ol sections, each ol" said sections consisting o'll a rigid open l'rame, said ladder member beingconnected at one end with the wall to extendY down the same and adapted to be arranged in a collapsed state near its point ol' support, and means to hold the ladder member in its collapsed state, said means including an angular bail pivotally connected with the ladder member to extend within the sections when packed together, and a catch supported l'rom the wall and adapted to be moved to project within the sections Vwhen packed together to engage and hold the bail.

6. In a fire escape, the combination 'with a nected at one end With the Wall to extend.

down the same and adapted to be arranged in a collapse l state near its point ol support, and means to hold the ladder member in its collapsed state, said means including an angular bail pivotally connected with the ladder member to extend Within the sections when packed together, and a catch pivotally supported l'rom the Wall and adapted to be swung to project Within the sections when packed together to engage and hold the bail.

7. ln a flexible extension Y[or lire escapes, the combination With a support, ol a series ol' rigid frames pivotally connected one with the other, connection between the uppermost frame and the support and means l'or retaining the sections in a l'olded position, said means comprising a member secured to the support and a member secured to the lowermost section adapted to engage directly With the member on the support said means being adapted to be released by applying pressure directly to said folded ladder extension.-

8. In a 'lire escape, the combination With a Wall of a building, of a foldable ladder member comprising a plurality of sections hinged together, each of said sections consisting of a rigid open frame, said ladder member being connected at one end with the Wall to extend down the same and adapted to be arranged 1n a tolded state near its point of support, and means to hold the ladder member 1n its collapsed state, said means comprising a bail connected With the ladder member to extend Within thel sections When packed together, and a catch pivotally supported from the Wall to be moved to extend Within the sections When packed together to engage and hold the bail.

9. ln a ire escape, the combination With a Wall, of a building, of a main ladder member secured to the Wall to extend down the same, a collapsible ladder member connected at one end With the lower end of the main ladder member to form a continuation thereof, said collapsible ladder member comprising a plurality ol rigid open frame sections and adapted to be arranged in a collapsed state at the lower end of the main ladder member, and means to hold said member in its collapsed state including a catch supported from the Wall to normally liangclose thereto and adapted to be moved to project Within the pack of sections, and a member connected with the collapsible ladder member to engage With the catch.

10. ln a 'fire escape, a collapsible ladder, means for connecting one end of the ladder to a suitable support and means for holding said ladder in a collapsed state adjacent the support, said last mentioned means being adapted to be released by applying pressure directly to said ladder.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES C. COVERT.

l/Vitnesses i L. S. BACON, EDWIN S. CLARKsoN. 

